19 [March 1754].

This morning is beyond description, Beautyfull, the Skie bespangled with Clouds which
shed a lustre on us by the refraction of the rays of light, together with the healthy
and enlivening air, which was purifyed By the thunder, afford most spirited materials
for Contemplation.1 The gaiety of the weather is equally delightfull to the phylosopher, Poet and the
man of Pleasure. The Phylosopher finds his passions all Calm, serene, and Pliable
so that he finds no Difficulty in subjecting them to the subserviency of his reason,
he can now contemplate all the gaudy appearances of nature and like Pythagoras bring
Phylosophy down from heaven and make her conversible to men. The Poet thinks this
the Best time to Converse with his muse and { 53 } Consequently gives himself up wholly to her directions. His whole soul is at her disposal!l
and he no more retains the government of himself. While the man of pleasure find such
delicacys arising from the objects of sence as are adapted to produce the highest
sensations of delight in him.2

2. Here a blank space of nearly half a page appears in the MS, and here also the writing in JA’s experimental hand of 1754–1756 ends, though temporarily. The following three pages
in the MS (i.e. {6–8}) were also originally left blank by the diarist except for the canceled
beginning of his notes on Winthrop’s lectures (first entry of 1 April 1754, below). The editors suppose that JA intended to fill up this space with journal entries for the rest of March. See note 1 on the following entry and Introduction, p. 8.